Curtain Bluff, Antigua

Location: This 40-year-old-plus Caribbean corker occupies 20 acres of lush tropical, beach-front real estate on the southern tip of Antigua. The island covers 108 square miles and is part of the Leeward Islands in the central Caribbean.

Getting there: British Airways and Virgin Atlantic offer direct flights from the UK to the extravagantly named V.C. Bird International Airport, which sits in the north-east of Antigua. Flight time is about eight hours from the UK. Caribbean Airlines fly via Barbados and Trinidad.

Tennis facilities: Curtain Bluff offers four floodlit hard courts surrounded by a resort literally dripping with luxury.

Coaching: There is a resident head pro, but the place really comes alive every May when it hosts its annual Tennis Week. Its star team of tour legends Fred Stolle, Ross Case, Owen Davidson and Kathy Rinaldi lay on seven days of prize tournaments, pro doubles exhibitions, and stroke and strategy clinics.

Eating: Three meals a day are included in the price and for that you get some of the finest dining in the Caribbean. French-born Head Chef Christophe Blat runs the show, a man with considerable experience working at French Michelin-starred restaurants. Those who have a culinary interest can enrole in one of the cookery classes which take place at the on-site private residence of the resort’s owners, Howard and Chelle Hulford.

Drinking: As well as the standard options you would expect to find at such a resort (pool bar etc), Curtain Bluff has one of the most highly regarded wine cellars in the Caribbean, boasting over 25,000 bottles of the stuff. And, yes, there’s wine tasting on offer too. Bring your own Nurofen.

Sleeping: Seventy-two rooms, varying in cost and size, but each with its own private balcony. One interesting point is the absence of TVs and radios from rooms, with guests urged to enjoy the beauty of the Caribbean without intrusive 24-7 news broadcasts. Fear not, telly addicts – there’s a communal TV room.

What else? OK, here we go… There’s swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, windsurfing, water-skiing, diving, squash, putting, croquet, yoga, aerobics and a fitness centre. Not to mention two beaches, swimming pool and bar and a spa which opened in November 2006. For those who want to get out and about, Antigua is said to have 365 beaches in total. OK, with mornings and afternoons free for exploring… put me down for a six-month stay.